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Feb 24, 2026 By Laura Studarus

Twenty-five years into their existence, Gorillaz have transitioned from a “virtual band” gimmick into a mainstream institution. At the Hollywood Palladium on February 22, Damon Albarn demonstrated that while the cartoon faces of 2-D and Murdoc remain the brand’s anchor, the soul of the project has entered its most ambitious era yet. The quest? Spiritual enlightenment.

The collective played their upcoming album The Mountain from start to finish. Albarn played backed by a choir and sitar player, which honestly might be the coolest use of a passport. What’s the use of traveling if we’re not bringing inspiration back with us?

Contributors were celebrated. Sparks, Black Thought, Bootie Brown, Joe Talbot of Idles, De La Soul, Del the Funky Homosapien, Kara Jackson, and Asha Puthli all appeared in the flesh. Meanwhile, other heavy hitters made their impact via the massive projections; Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey triggered one of the night’s biggest reactions during “Damascus,” even with their vocals playing over the screen. Trueno and Proof also appeared digitally to provide the assist on “The Manifesto,” their recorded verses weaving through Albarn’s live guitar work.

Visually, the iconic animated members—2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel—were present via massive projections, although their role has evolved. Rather than driving a dense narrative as they did in previous tours, the characters functioned as a familiar visual grounding for the band’s experimental new territories. They were interspersed images of the mountain bent and warped in a way that The Dark Side of the Moon fans will instantly recognize. The did set end on a cryptic note as the characters were seen on a mountaintop before disappearing—a cliffhanger likely to be explained during the YouTube premiere of “The Mountain, The Moon Cave, and The Sad God” on February 27.

The encore did away with the quest for nirvana in favor of pure Saturday morning cartoon bliss. In an act of crowd service, the band pivoted from the afterlife back to Earth, delivering a run of fan favorites including “Dirty Harry,” “Feel Good Inc,” and “Clint Eastwood.”

The takeaway of the night? Albarn might be chasing enlightenment, he hasn’t forgotten how to throw the best party in the world.

Setlist:

1. The Mountain

2. The Moon Cave (with Asha Puthli) (and Black Thought)

3. The Happy Dictator (with Sparks)

4. The Hardest Thing

5. Orange County (with Kara Jackson)

6. The God of Lying (with Joe Talbot)

7. The Empty Dream Machine (with Black Thought)

8. The Manifesto

9. The Plastic Guru

10. Delirium

11. Damascus

12. The Shadowy Light

13. Casablanca

14. The Sweet Prince (with Kara Jackson)

15. The Sad God (with Black Thought)

Encore:

16. California and the Slipping of the Sun

17. Rock the House (with Del the Funky Homosapien)

18. Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)

19. Feel Good Inc. (with De La Soul)

20. Clint Eastwood (with Del the Funky Homosapien)